An approach for the analysis of R&D needs and facilities for fusion energy

1. An approach for the analysis of R&D needs and facilities for fusion energy M. S. Tillack ? ARIES “Next Step” Planning Meeting 3 April 2007

2. Customer-derived R&D needs • Demonstrate operability of the tokamak and power systems • Demonstrate control of key parameters • Demonstrate power handling capability, electricity generation • Demonstrate worker safety under normal and off-normal conditions • Demonstrate a closed fuel cycle and ability to manipulate breeding • Demonstrate remote maintenance Our external advisory committee will help us define broad R&D requirements for the commercialization of fusion Customer-derived requirements for a power plant (Starlite) • No public evacuation plan • No geological waste • No disturbance of public • No abnormal risk to workers • Closed tritium fuel cycle on site • Ability to operate at partial load • Ability to maintain power core • < 0.1 major unscheduled shut-down/yr • Competitive COE

3. Mission Customer Needs Requirements Present Database Reactor Conceptual Design Issues & R&D Needs R&D Implementation The Starlite Methodology is still relevant, but needs to be applied to experimental devices How will we translate advisory committee recommendations into design requirements and conceptual design priorities?

4. For a power plant operator (the customer), the focus will be on integrated rather than component issues Plasma Blankets Divertors Magnets Vacuum vessel Power management Reactor control Fuel management Maintenance Safety Waste Our work should adopt a more “holistic” approach

5. Examples of integrated issues for system studies of experimental power reactors • Thermal power management: Demonstrate in-vessel power and particle handling, extraction of power core high-grade heat, nuclear performance of ancillary equipment (rf, magnets, etc.) • Fuel management: Demonstrate “birth to death” tritium management in a closed loop with self-sufficient breeding. • Safety: Demonstrate public and worker safety of the integral facility, capturing system to system interactions. • Plant operations: Establish the operability of a fusion energy facility, plasma control, reliability of components, inspectability and maintainability of a power plant relevant tokamak. • Flexibility: Explore alternative operating modes and power core technologies with high duty cycle, but flexible operations.

6. An experimental reactor design will require more emphasis on operational concerns and demonstration of the achievement of goals E.g., • Diagnosis and monitoring of plasma and plant conditions • Less than a tokamak experiment, more than a power plant • Control (variation) of key parameters • Transient response (partial power, power fluctuations, accelerated breeding, …) • System interfaces, interactions and interdependencies Previous ARIES studies tended to emphasize an optimum baseline “equilibrium” point. In this study, we want to explore sensitivities, interdependencies, transients, etc.

7. Blanket Pn Cooling Pfusion First wall, PFC’s Prad,chamb frad,core Pa Divertor frad,div Prad,div 1-frad,core Pdiv Pcond 1-frad,div Example: Thermal power management: Demonstrate in-vessel power and particle handling, extraction of power core high-grade heat, nuclear performance of ancillary equipment (rf, magnets, etc.) Plasmaengineering Requires e.g. controlling and tracking all power flows, measuring stresses and temperatures, extracting materials coupons, post-test examination, … Can we study these with a combined system code w/physics & engineering?

8. Example: Fuel management: Demonstrate “birth to death” tritium management in a closed loop with self-sufficient breeding. fueling inventory breeder processing n breeder T Fuel processing D+T coolant processing coolant D+T+ vacuum processing pumps

9. Do we want this? (C. Gentile, HAPL presentation, 9 Aug 2006)

10. CTF/FDF/EPR/ TNS/ FED/ etc. ARIES A design requirements document is the first step toward an experimental fusion power reactor This study is timely, and could be the precursor for a real facility

11. ITER/ FIRE ARIES “next step” Starlite 2010 2030 2050